Threads of Fate
by seiauton
Summary: Time can't be controlled. Yet, what if it could? What if you could? What would you change? And who would you save?
1. Prologue

**Threads of Fate**

Prologue

* * *

 _You are redundant._

 _You are weak._

 _So why do you fight?_

 _Why do you still hold on,_

 _To the thread of hope,_

 _When there is nothing there?_

 _But go on._

 _Follow your fate,_

 _By changing it yourself._

 _Because I won't change it for you._

* * *

There was darkness. Shadows that used to dance in the presence of light stood still as they lingered upon a sleeping form. Its deep breaths were the only sound that could be heard, breaking the silence. Cavern walls surrounded it, shielding it from the world outside. But at the same time, they were caging it in the restlessness of its thoughts, that bothered it even in its dreams.

The boy, merely yet a man, had his eyes bandaged. He deserved a good rest after the surgery he had gone through but knew he couldn't risk to waste time any longer. The drugs that circulated in his blood made his visions even more vivid in their cruelty, reminding him of what he had to do once he recovered. The hatred that had captivated his wishes and dreams a long time ago made him fantasize about what was yet to come. He could hear voices in his head, some laughing, others screaming in despair.

Nobody but himself would be the one to decide Konoha's fate.

He dreamt of blood and death, of bodies lying on the ground. Some of them he recognized, others were foreign to him. There were adults and children and elders – the elders he resented to much for what they had done! –, there were women and men, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters. It didn't matter to him. They all deserved the pain he would implement on them and the fires that would burn down the lies they cast while laughing in ignorance.

Despite his flaming thoughts, the boy looked tired, even in his sleep. He was covered in wounds and dirt. He seemed weak, almost. But that he was not. It was nothing but an illusion, one of the kind he used to cast upon those, who were foolish enough to engage him in battle. Deceiving had always been like a second nature to him just like it was to be expected. Once, people wanted him to be good at it, yet they cursed him for fulfilling their wishes. They didn't know anything but judged him for being what they, themselves, had made him out to be. I was their fault, not his. Why should he regret what they decided to overlook?

The sound of steps reechoed from the walls. They seemed loud in the dominance of silence but were still those of a shinobi. Swift and elegant, fast but cautious.

Red eyes broke though the darkness, their gaze fixating on the boy. The shadow halted in front of him, standing still while watching his almost peaceful looking face. Its orbs caressed his figure for a moment before suddenly starting to rotate. They begun to change, the comma-like circle widened, blackening the blood-colored pattern.

Once again, there was nothing but darkness.

 _It is time to decide the boys fate_ , it thought. Reassured, it reached out to him, lightly touching his shoulder.


	2. Chapter 1

**Threads of Fate**

Chapter 1

* * *

 _What is it that you call you own?_

 _You have nothing._

 _You aren't strong._

 _You aren't right._

 _You aren't needed._

 _Nobody wants your revenge._

 _Nothing but a lie._

 _Nothing but words._

 _You are alone._

 _…_

 _Are you really?_

* * *

Even before opening his eyes, Sasuke knew that something was different. He couldn't tell what _exactly_ had changed but he sure as hell didn't like it. He felt an uneasiness rumbling inside his stomach. It was subtle, but concerning, regardless. Was it the fact that he wasn't lying on the stone table where Madara had performed the surgery, but on something soft, a bed, whilst feeling a blanket on top of him? Or was it rather that he could hear birds singing outside and see light behind his closed eyelids even though he should be several meters underneath the surface, where only darkness should have its domain?

Under normal circumstances, he would have sat up immediately in order to find out what the heck was going on but in this very moment he decided not to move at all. It was … weird, but something inside him that he couldn't quite bring himself to terms with, told him to do nothing, for now. It was an instinct, probably, and as a shinobi, he had learned to listen to these kind of things. Because of that, even though he couldn't understand why exactly, his eyes remained shut. What for he waited, he didn't know. But something was bound to happen, eventually. That much he was sure of.

He listened into the silence that surrounded him and ignored the chirping he noticed earlier. Alone with his thoughts, he started to think. He didn't know how long he had slept after the surgery. Madara had told him about this war of his, and Sasuke was aware that it should have started by now. Someone must have found him, still drugged and defenseless and taken him outside. His still tired mind was able to understand that. But what about this Zetsu? Wasn't he supposed to prevent situations like this? There would have been several people needed in order to trick him, right? Wasn't he told that–?

Then, he understood. What if the war was already over? That had to be it! How could the hideout have been taken over, otherwise? The anesthetic in his blood couldn't have lasted that long, but a mere 24 hours could have been more than enough to decide this quarrel, provided the hidden villages lived up to their reputation, of course. He couldn't help but smirk at that. Madara had overestimated his strength, hadn't he? Sasuke would still be in the cave, had this played out otherwise. Which meant that he was now... where exactly? Konoha was too far away, after all. Also, he was alone, that much his numbed senses were able to tell him. But than a few chakra signatures came into the range of his narrowed field of awareness. Alerted, he wanted to get up but decided against it as confusion swept over him. His eyebrows furrowed when he noticed that these people's chakra felt somewhat familiar. He couldn't tell who he was dealing with, though. But to his bewilderment, his body did. His heartbeat quickened as well as his breathing. What was going on? He could feel sweat on his skin and then he even stated to shake! With that, nervousness began to get the better of him. Just where did he know these signatures from?! He searched his memories for something familiar, but no matter how hard he tried, he didn't hit pay dirt. Anger about him not being able to control the situation started to turmoil inside of him. With gritted teeth, he decided that it was time to act. He would probably be confronted with these people sooner or later. However, he would be the one to decree when exactly this meeting was to take place.

He hasty sat up, feeling dizzy for a second. With a quick movement he removed the bandages from his eyes and opened his lids.

What he saw made him stare with gaping mouth.

He had been moved, that much he had already deducted. What had actually happened, however, he wouldn't have dared to even dream of.

The room was lightflooded. Blue curtains swayed gently in the wind, slightly touching a small bookshelf that was standing beneath a window. To its right there was a TV, an old one, its display reflecting the sunlight, while a neatly tidied desk was situated at the wall to his opposite. He saw a wooden door with marks scarring its surface, a kunai still sticking inside. He also noticed an opened toytrunk with rounded shuriken, bricks and even a stuffed dinosaur. It was a toy he recognized. Just as he recognized this room with all its furniture. As he turned his head, he could even see the Uchiha emblem painted on the wall. He couldn't help but stare at it as the memories started flooding back. There were faces he didn't want to see, words he never should have heard, and experiences he never wanted to make. Anger built up inside of him, slowly taking over his mind.

 _How could they?!_

He had underestimated the effects of the drugs Madara gave him, it seemed. They had taken him back to Konoha and not only that but also back here, where everything had started and everything had found its end. The Uchiha compound was separated from the rest of the village so it shouldn't surprise him that they had predestined this of all places. He wouldn't be able to hurt others and, at the same time, feel just _how much_ they resented him and all of his kind. They wanted to break him, for him to dance after their will, to _fear_ them, even! The signatures he felt earlier were probably ANBU that were supposed to make sure he wouldn't escape. He was furious.

It wasn't even the fact that they had captured him that made his blood boiling. Not only had he found himself inside Konoha, of all places, but in this room. _His_ room that he had spent his childhood in. It was the place he had been happy in, once, the place where he had lived with his family, his brother, and the place, where _everything_ had been taken from him. He had lost his mother and father in this house, had been traumatized by Itachi, who also had gone through hell in this godforsaken place! He couldn't think straight anymore and his vision started to turn red, literally. His sharingan activated and were just about to advance to their evolved state.

But before that could happen, the door was opened and Sasuke's mother stepped in.

It had something comical, almost. This seemed like a dream, some twisted … _thing_ that his mind was forcing upon him. Under other circumstances he might had laughed about this but not this time.

He just wasn't a person who usually laughed.

He didn't move, couldn't move, was totally stunned by what he just witnessed. She was _dead_ , killed more than ten years ago and still she was standing there, looking at him with surprise in her features and suppressed sadness in her red-rimmed eyes. For a moment there was silence. They just looked at each other as if time had stopped and caught them in this split second of confusion, hurt and disbelieve. All Sasuke could think of was that his mother seemed just like back then. He was unable to cope with the situation as a whole and so his mind decided to focus on what was right in front of him: his mother, Mikoto, and her face that had always lingered in his thoughts, that had haunted him day after day whilst smiling peacefully, before turning into a blood strained corpse, lying on the ground. He started to feel dizzy, followed by static blurring his sight. A loud, high-pitched buzzing sound tormented his ears as he finally realized that he was having a panic attack. He recognized this feeling. The last time he had experienced it was when he had heard the truth about Itachi. It was no wonder, that his brother's face started to dance in front of his half shut eyes as well.

Suddenly Sasuke felt two slender arms embracing his body. He could feel warmth surrounding him and recalled the scent he was smelling as his mothers perfume, the one she had used for as long as he could remember. He wondered how he fit so perfectly in her arms, how his head felt so small whilst resting at her chest. _It didn't matter_ , he decided, before surrendering to the darkness that swallowed him and the restlessness of his thoughts.

* * *

Her eyes were focused on her little boy. Her little Sasuke, and his tired, exhausted form as he was lying in her arms. She felt his warmth against her, saw the blood in his cheeks and the life inside this tiny body of his. She couldn't help herself but pulling him even closer against her own. By itself, her hand began stroking his tousled hair, the other one holding him firm and secure in her grip. Oh, how long it had been since she had been able to feel his presence soothing her tormented soul and his skin under her now shaking fingertips.

 _He was safe_ , she reminded herself. He was _here_ , far from harm. Biting her lip, she could once again feel tears blurring her sight, one's of relive this time around. They had become her closest companions these last few days. In truth it had not been long, not even a whole week, but for her it had felt as if every second, every moment had stretched itself to unbelievably lengths. Sometimes she had wondered if time wanted to mock her in her misery. She shook her head, trying to chase the memories away. He was safe.

Now that the realization finally began to sink into her still numbed body, she felt relief swapping over her, like a wave of ruthless but welcomed force, that would slowly but steadily wash away the fears and horrors that had tormented her the last few days; that had kept her awake at night, these long, long nights, where she had been thinking of him, thinking about whether or not he had enough to eat, had it warm; Whether or not he was still alive! She started to shiver all over her body, once again experiencing all her fears and worries. He could have _died_ , she knew. And she wouldn't have known. His _mother_ wouldn't have known. Not being able to protect him, to shield him and his life, that was jet to bloom, that had nothing but started to unfold before her eyes. Clutching them shut, she buried her head in his hair, soaking it wet with her tears. She had wished to be in his place; To take everything, _everything_ , upon herself in his stead. There was no pain she would not have endured for him and even now she would not hesitate. Her live was nothing compared to his. There were many years to come for her little boy, so many things to experience he did know nothing about. Mikoto shuddered upon the realization that he could have been ended without having the chance to see this world, to actually grasp its concept and understand what live, what _living_ , was all about. He hadn't even felt love jet, the calming presence of a significant other, let alone the happiness of founding a family on his own.

But now he was _safe_. Now she was there, and he was finally home again, safe and sound. He had lost consciousness but she could feel his heart beating in a slow and steady rhythm, could hear his deep breathing and see a slight smile on his tired face. She wasn't a medic but as a former shinobi she could very well tell that he would wake up soon enough and that was more than she could have hoped for. She still knew nothing about what had happened to him, whether there were injuries that lay beneath the surface, unable to be seen by her worried glance, but for now her tormented heart was at ease because she could not see any bruises or scratches on his skin. She had had even looked underneath his clothing to assure herself as soon as she had held his unconscious body in her arms for the first time, several hours before.

At the same time, however, she could not ignore the fact that his _sharingan_ had activated. It had shocked her, of course, but, actually, she should have expected it. The ordeal must have taken a toll on him one way or another, there was no sense in denying it.

She might not be an Uchiha by blood, but as Fugaku's wife, she knew almost everything there was to know about his clan's doujutsu and therefore was also aware of the required conditions for it to awaken. A strong emotion was needed. Whether it was fear, or anger, or even envy did not matter. What mattered was the circumstances to evoke this emotion. And in Sasuke's case it was not hard to assume what feeling he must have felt in a situation like this. Abduction was nothing she wished for anyone to experience, after all. What horrible thing had her little boy have to see out there? … What did he have to _feel_? She did not want to think about what could have happened. But she had to know, no matter what, even if it broke her. She was his _mother_ after all. Burying her head in his neck she tried to chase away the demons. She wanted to forget the events of this last week, for just a little moment. For just a second she wanted to pretend that nothing had ever happened and he had never ever left her side.

And for just a second, everything was okay.

Several minutes later she could hear Fugaku's footsteps as he slowly entered the room. He was just as tired as she was, deep shadows under his eyes and also in his mind. She knew that he had suffered just as much as she had. When he had been alone with her in those long, long nights, he had forsaken all his facades, all his masks, and she had seen the pain in his eyes. Not only had he suffered with her, together, but also tried everything to bring Sasuke back. The whole police force had searched for their boss' son, he had made sure of that. He had been merciless, despite his own desperation, probably even _because_ of it. She didn't know what she would have done without him, really. All she had been able to, was roll up to a ball in the tissues of her bed and cry herself to sleep, but he, he actually had the power to do something. And in the end, he had brought Sasuke back to her. Even though he wasn't the one to find him, she was inexpressibly thankful for everything he had done.

But right now, he did not dare to cease the silence. She could feel his unspoken question in the tension, that hung in the air, just like a cloud. A cloud, that dared to suffocate him just as she had her not all too long ago. She did not look up from Sasuke's face, his oh so peaceful seeming face, but noticed her husband's presence standing close behind her and the unconcealed nervousness surrounding him. "He is okay", she murmured therefore, but more towards herself than Fugaku, "He is okay."

She could almost see him sigh in relieve and his shoulders being lifted from the wight they had carried up until now. She did not care for now, however, as there were matters of more importance they needed to take care of at the moment. "Where is she?", she asked him, still not lifting her gaze. She was still lost in the depth of her mind, of questions of "if's" and "but's", of reproaches towards herself, and fear, this everlasting fear, that would, never again, let go of her, for as long as she lived. But it was just that, _fear_ , and not reality, for now. That was thanks to her and it was time to let her know just how thankful she was for what she had done. _For rescuing her son._

Fugaku came closer, kneeling beside her a second later. He remembered that woman's face, her long eyelashes and dark hair. He did not know her, but she had carried Sasuke in her arms as she was running towards him, while looking as if the devil himself was after her. He had taken his son, full of relieve and gratefulness. He remembered the look in her eyes before she had vanished as fast as she had originally come. He couldn't even thank her for what she had done, or ask for her name.

"She is already gone", he told his wife; His hand laying on Sasuke's face, his thumb gently caressing his cheek.


	3. Chapter 2

**Threads of Fate**

Chapter 2

* * *

 _Open your eyes, little one._

 _Open them, wide, and look around._

 _What do you see?_

 _Are you happy?_

 _…_

 _You are afraid, you've always been._

 _Because your heart is too broken to accept their love._

* * *

 _"What the hell do you want from me?! You have no idea what it's like; you don't have parents or siblings to begin with! Don't you dare talk as if you'd understand me, because you don't! You just don't! Why can't you let go already?! Just leave me be! Leave me the fuck alone!"_

 _"I won't."_

 _"Why!? Why not just forget about me?! Forget me, just like everyone else did! I don't want your help!"_

 _"Because I'm your friend, Sasuke. Because of that I won't abandon you no matter what you say to me now. Not when you need me. You might not want it, but–"_

 _"What does that even mean to you?! You just keep blabbering about this crap! What the heck do you want to say?!"_

 _"You've always been my friend, my goal, … my brother. I know what it feels like to lose one. I know how you feel."_

 _"Are you even serious? Do you actually want me to believe that?! Don't give me this bullshit! You aren't my brother! You are not him! You–"_

 _"Just listen to yourself. You are afraid. Afraid to lose those dear to you. You don't want the past to repeat itself. Because of that you don't want these connections. Because you are afraid of the pain you would feel after loosing them once again. Your heart isn't as cold as you make it out to be. Be honest to yourself, just this once."_

 _"You–"_

 _"No, Sasuke. You. It's always been you."_

* * *

The next time he regained consciousness, Sasuke felt terrible. His head was throbbing painfully and there was a foul taste on his tongue. He tried to gulp it down but couldn't. His mouth was dry, his body hurt all over and worst of all, he felt incredibly weak. This was a situation not to his liking, and so he decided to do something about it. The first step was to open his eyes but he had to realize that even that seemed too much of a task. Just after a few fruitless attempts he finally succeeded in forcing them open.

It was dark, he noticed. Bright shimmering dots still blurred his sight.

Still in a haze, he couldn't make out his surroundings, some dream fragments blurring his mind. He saw nothing, really, but felt as if his eyes would analyze their color so he could understand their meaning. What was the dream even about? _Blue_ , he thought. It was blue, like waves crushing at the shore, like a cloudless sky on a day full of sunshine. Was he sure it wasn't black? It must have been a bad one, after all. Slowly coming to, he rubbed his eyes, trying to chase the sleep away. Everything was so slow, so blurred. What happened? Had he had a fight? He couldn't remember.

Suddenly, he heard some sort of scooping and was awake at once. Almost automatically his sharingan activated, searching the room for whatever caused the noise, before fixating on the sleeping form of his mother, kneeling beside his bed.

After a moment of shock, it all came back to him.

As he saw her, her head rested on her arms, sunken in deep slumber, he remembered the blackout and what had happened before. He saw it over and over again inside of his mind. How he had woken up, how he had realized where he was and, most importantly, how _she_ had stepped in with this saddened but relieved look on her face, her reddened eyes, the tears that dared to overflow, how she had held him and he had felt so small and secure. Wait a minute.

Sasuke froze, his mouth once again opened in disbelieve. How come he still felt so small, so … _different_ from how he normally felt? Something about his body just wasn't right, he realized. He looked at his hands, at how tiny they seemed and felt cold shivers up and down his spine. This wasn't just a hunch anymore. He knew it, _saw it_ , with his own eyes! " _What the–_ " Even his voice sounded higher.

His body was that of a kid again.

It was just too much at once. He didn't know what shocked him more; what was more disturbing. His mother sitting right there, or his own body, completely strapped of what it had been, of what made him a _ninja_. Was he dreaming, still? Was it the drugs? He couldn't wrap his head around all this. It hurt, so much. Before he knew it, his hands were covering his eyes, and despair dared to get the better of him. He wasn't really going to _cry_ now, was he? He couldn't quite believe it himself. He felt hotness behind his lids but managed to keep it from spilling. Just _what_ was _wrong_ with him? He didn't show emotions like that. He screamed, yes, he cursed, … but he didn't _cry_.

Suddenly there was this rage again. It bubbled up inside his stomach, fast and strong, like a volcano that was about to erupt.

 _What else?_ What else would be thrown at him, what obstacle, what lie, what kind of disgrace? He had taken so much already. Wasn't it finally enough?! His breathing quickened drastically and he started to feel dizzy again. What the heck was up with this body? Couldn't it take a thing as simple as that? Just how weak was he going to get? How much more, no, how much _less_ was he able to take, now? He bit his lip in order to avoid screaming. What a joke. His fingers grabbed his hair, tight, and after a while the pain was able to calm him down a bit.

He was having mood swings. The reason why was beyond him, but he sure as hell wasn't fond of it. Closing his eyes, he started to count. He had to clear his head in order to think. Emotions distracted him from what he really wanted: Finding out what was going on, both inside and outside. He took a deep breath and felt his mind getting silent again. It had taken him about five minutes, which was far longer than it used to. After one last inhale he opened his eyes again, ready to analyze the problems at hand.

The first thing he was willing to consider was the possibility of Genjustu, it was the first thing that came to mind, obviously. He wasn't convinced, though. Why was easy to understand. He was an Uchiha, and it was by no means a simple task to trick one of his kind with something they considered themselves to be unbeaten in. Genjutsu might not be his personal forte, but he was no rookie in that regard either. Also, he had the eyes of his brother now, so it showed more than unlikely for him to be tricked like that. He still decided to momentarily stop his flow of chakra, just to make sure. Forming the seal, he concentrated on the energy in his veins, before abruptly halting its way. As expected, nothing seemed to change.

What else? After a bit of thinking he fathomed the thought of Madara having something to do with this. He had been the last one he had spoken to and he also remained the last other Uchiha, who could have forced a jutsu of this magnitude upon him. Had the former clanleader really intended to cage him inside an illusion, he would be unable to escape. For a matter of minutes, that was. Sighing he folded his arms together. No, that didn't make sense. They were "allies" in the others eyes, or at least he knew that Sasuke wouldn't meddle into the elders affairs. His ties with Konoha had been severed years ago and even though his former teammates still insisted on him turning his back to revenge, he wouldn't go out of his way in order to silence them. One day, he would kill them, alongside the other Konoha citizens and explosions of red and screams of despair. But for now, he had no intentions of taking action against either of them. There was just no reason for Madara to keep him away from the going of things. He wasn't able to get to this mysteries center just jet. He needed information. But where to go? This had to be a jutsu, that much was clear, but Sasuke had no idea of who could have cast it.

Out of the corner of his eyes he saw his mother moving in her sleep; Her cheek rubbing against the fabric of the mattress, her fingers moving slightly as she was dreaming. He just couldn't avert his gaze. It was now that he became fully aware of her presence. Did he even _want_ to wake up? It seemed silly, but what if this proofed to be reality? What if she wasn't an imposter, but the real thing? He quickly shook his head. No, this simply _wasn't_ real. There was no point in hoping just to be disappointed once again. Hadn't he lived through this already, after the massacre? He didn't know how long he had believed to be dreaming. It was so painful to accept the truth. Too painful to ever experience that again.

He needed to get out. The urge was sudden but strong. He needed to go, away from her. Away from the memories.

He was just about to stand up as a certain chakra signature entered his space of awareness. It was approaching this room and was soon standing in front of its door. Sasuke found himself puzzled once again by the fact that he knew this person. His eyes located themselves on his mother again and widened just a second afterwards. This was–

Before he could even finish his thought, the door opened soundlessly and the figure of none other than his father appeared in its frame. Sasuke's fingers tightly clutched the blanket he was covered with, but this time he at least managed to keep his face straight. He should have expected this. It wasn't too far stretched to assume that his mother was not the only person who should make a reappearance. Still he found himself surprised at not only his father standing in front of him again, after all this years, but at his expression and the deep shadows under his eyes.

For a moment, they just looked at each other before a sigh forced past his father's lips and he stepped into the room completely, closing the door after himself. "Just … try to relax, okay?" His voice still sounded like the rustling of leaves, like a deep forest at night. It was cold but gave him a feeling of safety. He felt goosebumps all over his skin, but nodded shortly, never averting his gaze from the darkness that were his fathers eyes. He moved, he talked, and he _lived_. It was just too much to handle. Then he noticed the blanket in his fathers hands. Said man stepped beside his sleeping wife and carefully covered her with it, so she wouldn't wake up. He was so close. Sasuke just needed to stretch his hand out for him, and he would be able to touch him, to see if he was real. There even was his smell in the air, the scent he had always had, that had always been his. Sasuke was a ninja now, so he noticed these kind of things. He saw how young his father had been, how long he could have lived if it hadn't been for Konoha. His mother as well. He wished, they could have lived happily together.

After finishing his task his father headed towards the door again. "Really. Try to relax." It was not until he stepped out of the room that he added: "Your eyes should become black again, after that."

And just like that, he was gone.

It took Sasuke a few seconds to regain his composure. He bit his lips while deactivating his sharingan, and scolded himself for being so oblivious. He hadn't even noticed that they were still activated. A mirthless laugh filled the silence as Sasuke once again covered his face. How stupid was he? This wasn't real; it just _wasn't_. Again he could feel the burning sensation. He needed to get a grip on himself. They were imposters. They looked like his parents, yes, they talked and acted like them; But they _weren't_ them. He was almost shocked at how easily they had torn down his inner walls, how easily they had gotten under his skin. He would make a formidable opponent, as weak and confused as he was, now. Gulping down the tightness in his throat, he looked down at his hands again. Had they really been this tiny, once? Who should he fight with them? Who should he kill? He touched his face. How soft his skin was, how delicate his features. Had this really been him at some point? He couldn't believe it. It seemed so far away.

It had been more than ten years since all this had been taken from him. Seeing it all, as if their blood had never strained the floor of their home, as if Itachi had never been forced to shoulder its weight on his shoulders... It was so … _weird_ and also frightening, in a way. He'd never admit it of course, but it had been long since he had felt fear of such magnitude. A voice inside his head suggested to run away from it, run from this lie, but this time he strictly refused his legs to follow its advise. He would not chicken out. Not him. He would stay and face it. He would understand. He would act. He would solve this mystery and punish whoever was behind this. He would find him. And he would kill him for reminding him of what once was and of what could have been, had things played out differently.

Konoha would pay, now more than ever. It's houses would burn along with its people. He would hear them scream and beg him for mercy. Their faces would be fed off by the flames he himself would force upon them, so their skin would melt from their bones. They all would die by his hand.

Just perhaps it would be enough. And he would finally be free.


	4. Chapter 3

**Threads of Fate**

Chapter 3

* * *

 _Chasing, chasing_

 _always chasing,_

 _catching stardust,_

 _you light it aflame._

 _You let it die,_

 _so you can live._

 _Your agony is no excuse._

 _(But is it really [ **dead** ]?)_

* * *

Dancing eagerly, the stars were falling. Ice and snow appeared to be ripping holes into the darkness of the vast sky above. Strongly, the aimlessly swirling pearls yearned for the ground, yearned for rest. It was cold outside. His naked feet pushed against the frozen concrete as Sasuke swiftly sprinted through the night. The untaught eye tempted to mistake him for a shadow. A phantom, that only lingered for as long as the blink of an eye.

Among the few roaming souls that crossed his path no one took note of him. Whether or not some skilled shinobi grasped his scurrying figure he could not tell. They did not react to him, however, so he did not tend to them either. It was what he had aimed for and thus a welcome sight that assisted his scheme:

Uncovering this world.

He hurried forward whilst hiding under the stars. Crimson red his eyes bled into the whiteness before him. This ice, that had covered his heart oh so long ago. But why was it winter? He could still feel the lingering touch of sunshine on his skin, the smell of leaves decomposing and the cooling air of autumn winds filling his nostrils. What did it even matter at this point?

Lanterns exploded with light, so bright he had to narrow his eyes. Hasty he leaped into the shadows whilest cautiously adapting for them to curtain his form. What if someone _did_ recognize him and reported their encounter? This was not the time for a lone child to be roaming the streets. The head's youngest at that! He needed to cover his identity. Not that his beaming eyes and supposed age didn't reveal him already. The light would expose him even faster. No, this risk he was not willing to take.

 _(Where is the darkness?)_

It had come suddenly, this urge to escape. He didn't listen to it. But still, the air had been heavy, back in that house where everything had started, so heavy he had found himself unable to breath. And with his mother sleeping there, blood reddening her cheeks and not straining the parquet...

He just couldn't let this continue. Someone was playing him, badly, and that Sasuke did not intent to allow any second longer. There had to be an explanation _somewhere_. And the Naka shrine, the place he was heading to, posed to be a good bet to place on. This jutsu had to be related to _some sort_ of Genjutsu, after all. With his kind being prodigies in their usage, they probably had useful information covering his situation stored in the clan's meeting place. Being a secret kept safely among his brethren he might as well could give it a try. Not that he had another option available.

But searching was moving and so he ran. Feeling, hurting, living. It didn't matter. Inside his head, inside his soul, it was numb. After all, he was used to it. Stupid little heart of his mistaking it for sorrow. How naive children could be. Somehow, it all seemed in vain. All that he'd done. All that he did. For it showed no difference, after all. The past remained gone and the present had taken over. It shouldn't be fighting to regain its place. It shouldn't chase him like that, like he was some sort of _prey_. The fight between them had lasted many years, being ended only by his brother's death. The moment of acceptance, it had snapped him out of this farce, and showed him what he was unable to realize before. Despite it all, he had prevailed and thus he was stronger. He had withstood every lie that had been thrown at him and therefore, he had seen the truth. This truth that had proofed to be just one of many.

 _(But where's the difference?)_

He passed his surroundings so rapidly, it felt like one gigantic blur. Colors faded, new ones jumped into existence. He perceived it like the turning of a page that bore no coherent words. They carried meaning by themselves but together they failed to deliver the message. Like questions that could not be responded to. Where did he come from? Where did he go to? He hadn't grasped either, so how could he comprehend this being that dwelt inside of him? Just what could explain the agony he had gone through? And what defined his purpose, a _shinobi's_ purpose? There had never been a choice. Isn't that right? His life had never been his.

 _(Why am I smiling? I should not–  
_ _Oh, he was watching.  
_ _Father, are you proud?)_

Before finding answers, no future could exist for there couldn't be life without seeing one's future. But still he remained standing. For he felt it, the concept that connected it all: Suffering and Hatred. That's all there is to it.

 _(Then_ _why do_ _you_ _live?_ _)_

* * *

Do you know the feeling of accomplishing a complicated task? A task you were afraid of, that kept bugging you day in day out in the back of your head? Of course you do. Who doesn't, right? But despite hardships and worries, the reward you receive after finally reaching your goal makes up for it. Like releasing a breath you've been holding or lying down after being on your feet all day. Finding peace might be a term that deemed a good enough expression of what Fugaku was feeling right then.

He had never been a person who particularly enjoyed drinking. It depended on the occasion, really, but under normal circumstances you wouldn't find him in a _pub_ of all places.

Still he found himself sitting there, alongside his companions. They were cheerful, enjoying themselves. On the inside, Fugaku was cheering too.

The last week had been a rollercoaster of feelings. Sasuke's kidnapping, it had caused the clan to lose the calm it was so reputed for. His youngest had always been popular in the district, being the happy-go-lucky child who always seemed to put a smile on everyone's faces. The news that after two days he still wasn't back home had shocked every Uchiha. They'd formed posses, they'd combed the district, searched in the woods, Fugaku'd even asked the Hokage to notify him should someone take a glimpse of his missing son. Yet, not even a single trace had become apparent. And it'd made Fugaku desperate. The oh so stoic mask he – the head of Konoha's police force – usually wore had slowly crumbled to pieces. He had hissed, he clutched his fists, the atmosphere surrounding him had been hectic and restless. Naturally, the looks in people's eyes were filled with surprise but also with pity and as the days flew by without progress being made, with understanding. It embarrassed Fugaku. However, there were other matters to occupy his mind with.

He was looking at his cup of freshly served sake and the vapor that was slowly fading into air as he once again asked himself what exactly had caused these happenings. Sasuke knew not to go outside the district's borders after nightfall, especially not without letting either him or Mikoto know beforehand. There was no reason to betray his parent's trust to begin with. Of course he still was a child and therefore easily distracted. Perhaps he'd done so without even noticing. However, Fugaku knew of his son's habit of training once the Academy ended so it was likely he'd been at the usual training spot. What happened from there on out was what needed to be ascertained. Had someone managed to follow him without being noticed? Or had he been hiding there? Did the kidnapper know about his son showing up there sooner or later? Or rather, did he know about Sasuke's schedule? It could've been more than one, too. Fugaku needed to hear the answers from Sasuke himself. He hoped his son would be able to talk, both mentally and physically. Fugaku clutched his fist at the thought of what might've happened to him. They just didn't know what he'd gone through.

"Oi, Fugaku" Looking up he noticed it was Yakumi disturbing his thoughts.

The younger one's expression appeared clouded from the alcohol he had consumed (his cheeks and nose reddened; glance unfocused and dull) but as Fugaku was quite used to the sight he forgo to comment on that. With a short nod he signalized his attention.

"Ya know", Yakumi sluggishly began. "I've been wondering about something. About this … _thing_ … with your _son_ , I mean." He articulated whilest throwing his arms as if to undermine his statement.

Unable to see what he was getting at, Fugaku silently rose an eyebrow, while patiently waiting for the other to continue.

"It's just, ya know, curiosity, probably. But why, like, _why_ would you be sitting here? Like, shouldn't you be with the other Uchiha and, heck what do I know, discuss … _y_ _a_ _know?_ After all … _this_?"

Now starting to understand what Yakumi was trying to imply, Fugaku sensed how anger begun to boil in his stomach. Hardening his face's expression he turned his whole body towards the Uchiha, thinking about what to say in order to silence the fool. "You _know_ why. Now _stop_ talking, Yakumi."

"Yeah, _yeah_ … but, after _this_ , isn't there, _ya know_ , all the more reason to-"

" _No_ , Yakumi.", he interrupted him while staring into his eyes intensively. "You're drunk. We'll talk tomorrow."

Despite faking ignorance, several other Uchiha paid attention to their conversation and Fugaku, aware of this fact, knew that they as well waited for him to announce the actions he intended them – and their clan – to take. To announce the attack. Fugaku was no fool and therefore he also knew of the rumors that had spread inside the secure walls of the Uchiha compound. Some ill-mannered whispers had made up a story as to why Sasuke had been kidnapped as well as a rather captivating story about Konoha's elders and how they had always desired a little Uchiha like him to use for their researches about the clan's ocular powers. Of course there was little to no truth in these tellings and Fugaku was very much aware of that. Still, voices had gotten loud among his people about punishing them for what they had done, not just concerning his son but also the things that had happened in the past. For how they had disgraced their clan and kept them locked away like cattle and about how his kind was resented and made responsible for crimes they did not commit. Fugaku had not wished for this to extend to such measures but as their leader he had to take a stand. If he didn't, things would turn out fatal not to say lethal for him, personally, but also those he cared about most. There wasn't much of a choice, really.

His men were no longer willing to accept this kind of discrimination and neither was he, actually. Change needed to happen in order for both parties to continue living side by side. How drastic this change would turn out to be, however, depended on various factors Fugaku was unable to control. He hoped for the best but despite his wishes bloodshed was bound to happen, no matter how much he wanted this to turn out otherwise.

Unfortunately, Yakumi didn't seem to understand that this was neither the place nor the time discussing these matters. "But, don't you think _they_ have something to do with it? That about _you_ _r_ _son?_ I mean-."

He would've stopped the other at this very moment if he hadn't been silenced by the slamming of a door. It was silent all of a sudden. No chatter, no jokes... Something had happened. Tilting his head to look for what had caused the ruckus, Fugaku as well was bound to notice Mikoto standing in the door frame. She was breathing heavily, wearing nothing but her dress despite it being winter. Fugaku didn't even need to hear her speak to know what had happened. The tears streaming down her convulsed face told him all he needed to know. Before she could even say a single word – a single "Sasuke" – he'd already paid for his drink. Trusting her to inform the other Uchiha, he left the pub in order to find their son who once again had vanished from right in front of their eyes.

 _Where are you going, Sasuke? What do you think you'll archive? Your past is all that ever mattered to you. Why do you intend to escape from it then? Why don't you stay? Why don't you e?_

 _Are you afraid, scaredy-cat? Too scared to face the truth? Too scared to open your eyes? Why are you hiding?_

 _( **There is nowhere to hide.** **)**_

* * *

Coming to a halt he let his gaze wander over the building. The Naka shrine had not changed a bit from what he'd remembered. Just like nothing else had. He wasn't sure as to why he'd expected this place to be different. Probably because it had changed him and he'd figured it would've accompanied him through this process. Lost a bit of innocence. Lost a bit of what it once was.

Not that it mattered.

Deactivating his sharingan, Sasuke stepped under the archway and was once again impressed by the simplicity. This was the heart of the clan's structure, all that is was. How _fancy_. It should be a monument of great magnitude, a symbol of their glory and pride. _Their_ Hokage-tower. Even this they'd been forced to hide, to bury underneath. One more reason to let this god forsaken city burn to ashes. One more reason to assure himself that one day it would.

Attempting to enter the shrine, he was forced to halt his step once more. By now he'd remembered the chakra signature … and the person it belonged to.

"Father", he called him, turning his head.

 _(Face your ghosts, Sasuke. So maybe, one day, you can let them go.)_


End file.
